The patent literature discloses a number of games or other devices for teaching children good habits or motivating them to good behavior, while also providing some diversion for the players/users. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,638,094 (Gilmore) discloses a game having a board including a path or course divided into spaces forming units of progress that the child is to make to provide mental and moral training. A spinner is provided to enable the child to advance along the path according to the number indicated by the spinner.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,414,614 (Shurick) discloses a board having a plurality of horizontal channels formed therein. Each of the channels contains a slide which may be advanced along the corresponding channel during the course of a week, according to the behavior of the child corresponding to the particular slide. A coin or the like is deposited at the end of each slide, to drop from the board when the slide reaches the far end of its travel and pushes the coin from the board.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,883,765 (Blaine) discloses a vertically oriented board having a series of tags hanging thereon for daily chores, and a second series of tags representing bonuses and fines. A cylinder for holding coins is installed along the right hand edge of the device. Coins are given to the child at the end of each day, depending upon the chores completed and/or any fines for non-accomplishment of the chores. The child is expected to place at least some of his or her accrued coins into the coin holding cylinder, to encourage saving.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,009 (Darnell) discloses a board having a plurality of row and column slots therein. A leftmost column provides for the names of a plurality of students, while an upper row provides a list of desirable traits, habits, tasks to be completed, etc. A marker is placed within the corresponding slot whenever a student completes one of the upper row items satisfactorily. The markers are later exchanged for a reward.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,337 (Carrera et al.) discloses a board game apparatus is provided which is intended to facilitate communication between parents and children regarding facts and attitudes in the area of human sexuality and to provide learning experiences which will lead to improved communication between parents and their children. The game includes a plurality of player tokens, a game board having a closed continuous path defined by a multiplicity of playing spaces, and three decks of cards, each of which contains questions concerning the field of human sexuality. The decks are distinguishable from one another according to degree of difficulty. There is also provided a fourth deck of cards which contains discussion questions for discussing various attitudes concerning human sexuality and a score sheet for scoring one's correct answers according to category.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,799 (Walsh) discloses a foldable panel having a list of jobs or chores for each of several persons, and a series of beads strung upon a lateral string for each person. As each chore is completed, the appropriate bead is moved from a “Do” position to a “Done” position. Parents, teachers, or supervisors provide some indication of award on a card when all chores for a given period are complete. When the card is filled, the award is provided to the child or student.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,487 (Harris) discloses a motivational savings bank set including a savings bank and imitation money (e.g., bills or coins) that can be used to motivate children by rewarding them for various levels of scholastic achievement by providing them with the imitation money upon attainment of scholastic goals.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,235 (Papaleo) discloses a child behavior improvement system comprises a support member having a plurality of receptacles for receiving indicia of a reward, multiple discs having indicia defining a reward positioned in each of the receptacles and a cover for covering each receptacle. The cover is at least partially removable for providing access to the reward. Selectable indicia are provided for positioning on the cover for identifying a desirable behavior goal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,242 (Wilson) discloses an educational system for motivating, monitoring and rewarding children's task performance and comprises a base having a playing surface demarcated to resemble a road in a continuous circuit form. Loop fasteners are attached to a plurality of discrete areas within the road area, and the discrete areas are organized into a circuitous route. A second plurality of discrete areas with loop fasteners attached, form temporary playing piece waiting areas. The system utilizes separate areas to identify the start and reward positions. Hook fasteners affixed to a playing piece allows the playing piece to be attached to the loop fastener material of discrete areas. A plurality of chore cards is used to delegate tasks to be accomplished by the participant. A plurality of banking cards is used by participants to record the rewards earned by task completions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,381 (Kollath et al.) discloses a motivation system for children that consists of a board, play money of various denominations, and coupons for various predefined rewards. The board is a flat rectangular rigid sheet with a schedule information area, a rewards information area. An erasable felt tip marking pen with a pen holder is also provided. The schedule information area contains a first column for listing the time of day, a second column for listing the behavior the child is to perform, and a third column for listing the quantity of play money to be received by the child. The rewards information area contains a first column for listing rewards that may be purchased, and a second column for listing the play money purchase price of reward.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,380 (Buckley et al.) discloses a game and a method for teaching favorable behavioral patterns. The game includes a portfolio and an allowance system in cooperative engagement with the portfolio. The portfolio includes a plurality of tab cards and a score unit for receiving the tab cards. The allowance system includes an allowance element as a unit of exchange between what is earned by a player and a tangible reward outside of the play situation. Accordingly, a method for teaching favorable behavioral patterns includes incorporating the game unit with a routine of a player for a predetermined period, such as a daily routine. The player is credited via the tab cards throughout the predetermined period for favorable and unfavorable behavior while performing the routine. At the end of play, a value received from calculating the awarded tab cards is used to determine a value of an allowance element to be received. The allowance element can be redeemed by the player for a tangible reward, e.g., money, a valued play object, or a pleasurable activity.
While the games/devices disclosed in those patents may be generally suitable for their intended purposes they nevertheless appear to leave something to be desired from various standpoints, e.g., effectiveness, adaptability and fun.
The subject invention addresses those needs.